Special Offer available until 31 May 2014 at the end of this blog... Over the past few months I've had a number of clients who have come to Reflexology for the first time and I've been absolutely delighted by their response to the treatment. I've been a reflexologist for the past 16 years and although I try not to take it for granted, I do sometimes forget just how amazing Reflexology is. So, it's wonderful to have clients who remind me just how blessed I am to be able to practice such a gentle, yet powerful treatment. One of the biggest surprises, for clients new to Reflexology, is just how relaxing it is: someone recently said they'd never been so relaxed in their life. Well if that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is! For me, I love the fact that clients can get really, really relaxed without having to do a thing. And that sense of relaxation can create a powerful healing space. We spend so much of our time and energy - physical and psychic - out in the world trying to get results, or cope with the results of the efforts of others, that we often forget to come back to ourselves. It's a bit like going out in the morning, but forgetting to come home at night. I often wonder if that's why Yoga and Meditation seem to be increasing in popularity at the moment. Einstein's 3rd Law of Motion says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction (I'm sure I've not got that exactly right, but the meaning's there). The more stressful life becomes, the bigger the demand for a space of stresslessness (OK, so it's not a word, but it does look relaxing, don't you think)? Therapies like Reflexology have never been more popular and I think it's because they give clients an opportunity to relax, to be still and to take stock. Our bodies are amazing healing machines which, with the right fuel, maintenance and recovery strategies, will keep going strong. The relaxed feeling that Reflexology can create offers a healing space in which the body can re-calibrate, re-balance and repair. So, Reflexology is fabulous for keeping you healthy! But Reflexology can also help you recover better health. Relaxation may help reduce inflammation in the body and that can have a beneficial effect on many conditions, such as IBS or arthritis. It also has a positive impact on the hormone system by reducing the production of stress chemicals and hormones in the body. And, for me, one of the most significant effects of the relaxing effect of Reflexology is that it helps to develop awareness in the client of the distinction between tense and relaxed - for without awareness, nothing can change. Some of the biggest "Ah Ha" moments in my Reflexology practice have been with clients who seemed to me to be stressed, but didn't feel themselves to be stressed. By the end of the treatment they felt relaxed and were then able to recognise how high their stress levels had actually been. Relaxation also helps with pain management, so painful conditions can often be helped through Reflexology - and there is research to support this. So, if you've never tried Reflexology before, why not give it a go, because you'll never really know what you're missing until you try it out for yourself. And to put my money where my mouth is, I'm going to give a £5 discount to all new clients who book before 31 May 2014 - just call me (Doris), on 07724 197627 and quote Blog when you book your appointment. Looking forward to meeting you.
0 Comments
I was surfing "biological age" recently and I came across this article in the Mail Online by Elizabeth Peyton-Jones about eating yourself younger. Click on this link if you want to read the whole thing. She suggests that the five ageing accelerators are:
Signs of inflammation are digestive gas, bloating, loose stools, runny nose or eyes. As we age our natural inflammatory response - the response that helps us heal and fight off infection - can become overactive, leaving activated immune cells circulating in the body. Foods that can trigger inflammation are: red meat, sugar, white flour and some dairy products. The best anti-inflammatory suggested in the article is turmeric: "Aim for one teaspoon of dried turmeric or a thumb-sized piece of fresh root every day". But watch out as it can stain hands and clothes. Oxidation is another process which accelerates ageing. Increasing the level of anti-oxidents which reduce the level of free radicals has been heavily emphasised over the past few years as a way to protect against cancer. There are indications that this may have been over-emphasised, but anti-oxidents are still important to robust health. Elizabeth Peyton-Jones suggests that the best antioxidant are red beans: kidney, pinto or aduki beans. Hormone imbalances can have a dramatic effect on ageing including: weight gain, wrinkles, headaches, muscle weakness, fatigue, dry skin, thinning hair, brittle nails, cellulite, sagging skin, poor memory. The article suggests that key hormone balancers are: pumpkin seeds, asparagus, unrefined whole grains, nuts (especially brazil nuts) and the best of them all if garlic - aim to eat one clove a day. Acidification is chronic acidity of the body and can lead to premature ageing. Acid producing foods include: red mean, coffee, cheese, cereal,and sugary drinks and snacks. Too much acid and the body pulls calcium and magnesium from bones, and iodine from soft tissue: this can lead to osteoporosis, fatigue and depression, weight gain and diabetes. But acid foods may not be acid forming, for example, citrus fruits are acidic, but have an alkalising effect on the body. Elizabeth Payton-Jones suggests that the best alkaliser is lemon and we should start our day with a drink of lemon juice in warm water - but use a straw, so acid doesn't harm tooth enamel. And she suggests that the five most ageing foods are:
No surprise there then! Well, Reflexology might not make you younger, but I'd like to suggest that the gentle rebalancing and detox that seems to accompany a Reflexology treatment would be a perfect supplement to a nutritional approach to ageing well. Vouchers are available, so why not treat your mother for Mother's Day! It's not long until Mother's Day, and I'd like to ask; "Are you going to settle for the regular, boring gifts?" Will flowers and chocolates or a meal out (on one of the busiest days of the year) be the most your imagination will stretch to? If you're struggling to think of something different to give your Mother, why not buy a gift voucher for a nice relaxing treatment of Reflexology, Indian Head Massage or Rejuvinating Facial Massage. Not only will the treatments help your Mum feel good, they'll do her good. My Mum loves her treatments and at 85 she's still going strong, in fact, sometimes I think she's fitter than me. Reflexology is a wonderful treatment for general well-being because it is holistic and relaxing and aims to bring the body back into balance. It leaves most clients feeling nice and relaxed, but also can help improve sleep, provide a light detox, give a gentle boost to energy levels and some clients find it helps reduce aches and pains. Reflexology uses finger pressure on the feet, so it's less personal and "touchy feely" than massage - perfect for those of us who are not keen on stripping off more than our socks and shoes! Indian Head Massage is done over clothing and seated in a chair - again perfect for those of us who don't like stripping off or lying prone. It uses a variety of techniques to loosen tension in upper back, shoulders, neck, head and face. It is a gentle treatment which is extremely relaxing (I've had clients fall asleep). Rejuvinating Facial Massage is a non-surgical treatment which uses specific massage techniques to brighten skin and improve elasticity. It is more vigorous than a beauty treatment and aims to lift and tone facial muscles and stimulate muscle memory. Although it is a more vigorous treatment, it is still very relaxing. So, give your Mother something different this Mother's Day, give her a real treat! Book your gift voucher today by calling Doris Wylie on 07724 197627. It's Mother's Day on Sunday 30th of March, so I thought I'd have a theme for the blogs this month: Ageing Well. Of course, we're all ageing every minute, but getting older is both better and worse than it was twenty years ago. Gone are early retirement ages and decent pension pots (for most people anyway). And over 55's are likely to have a heavier burden than ever before - looking after grandchildren and their own elderly parents or relations. But medicine is much better able to keep us alive for longer and there is much more support for the elderly in the community (although always room for improvement). Looking at some of the literature for ageing well, there's a strong emphasis on keeping fit and healthy, but fit and healthy are not necessarily the same thing. Good health is much more than fitness - good health is the result of a complex combination of mental, physical, emotional and genetic qualities. As we get older the changes can be much more challenging - family moving away, loss of parents and other loved ones, declining health, trying to keep up to date with technology, or fear of the future. The relaxing effect of a reflexology treatment can help put things in perspective and provide a listening ear. Often it's the job of the over 55's to listen to the trials and tribulations of others - family, friends, the stranger at the bus stop. So having a listening ear during a reflexology treatment can be the only time some of older folks are heard. Health is about eating well, sleeping well, breathing well, having a good posture, having an effective stress management strategy and supporting an active and robust immune system. Reflexology can help with most of these: the relaxing effects of reflexology helps to deepen breathing and release tight muscles allowing posture to improve and it also helps to improve resilience to stress. Many clients find the quality of their sleep improves after regular reflexology treatments - again perhaps because of the relaxation effect. And that relaxed state allows your body to do it's repair and renewal work, so it helps support a more robust immune response. Reflexology can improve well-being and restore balance to mind, body and emotions - something that we all deserve, but especially well-deserved by Mums in this Mother's Day month. So if you want to treat your mum this Mother's Day, ditch the flowers and chocolates and get something really useful - a Reflexology voucher. Sitting, moving, sleeping - you can't do any of it easily without the support of your back. But are you supporting your back in return? All too often we take our back for granted - until it lets us down, or we have given it all it can take. A healthy back is strong and supple, but it can very quickly lose is strength and flexibility if it's not exercised. It's that old saying about use it or lose it. So what do you do to ensure your back is strong and flexible? And it's important to get good advice about what to do to make your back strong and supple, because the wrong exercise can do more harm than good. That's why I've gone to the NHS for information. These simple exercises can be done in five minutes and don't need any equipment or special conditions. So why not give them a try. But beware, if you have existing back problems, take advice from a professional before trying any of these exercises. And if you want to rest your back, try one of these techniques:
Rest like this for just a few minutes every day and feel the difference in your energy levels. Look after your back and you will feel younger and healthier and more relaxed. And if you'd like some support to bring your body back into a healthy balance you might find Reflexology useful. For more information or to book, call Doris on 07724 197627. I proudly announced the launch of my new online business, Baby Making Mindset, last week and I'm delighted with the progress I've made, but it's had it's downside. I'm now officially a desk potato! I wouldn't call myself a couch potato because I've been so busy that TV is a distant memory (I've still to see some of the programmes I saved over Xmas and New Year). No, I'm a desk potato, stuck to my typist chair at my PC producing blogs and newsletters, facebook posts and twitter feeds and the odd article - not to mention content for my new Club. And I get so absorbed with it all that I only remember to move when my legs start going numb - so much for self-awareness! So I've decided I need to get some more exercise, but I'm not really fitness freak material: I'm a member of a gym - but it seems to take up so much time; I like to go out walking - but the weather isn't always great; I do still need to spend a lot of time at my PC - but I also know that I need to take more breaks. Notice all the "buts" - those are objections, resistance, excuses and I seem to have a lot of them. I need a new strategy: I want to make it easy for myself to reduce the resistance, so I thought "a little and often", that will help me create some breaks from my PC which would also be a good thing. What how do I do that? Well, I thought I'd ask Google what to do and I got a real surprise ... some excellent information from the NHS. It provides exercise for all ages and distinct programmes for men and women and it's got lots of other great information that's easy to read and apply - I'm surprised and impressed. Here's a link to a series of 10 Minute workouts. I'm going to be incorporating them into my day to give me a break from my PC. Have a look at the link and see if they might suit you too ... http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/Tenminuteworkouts.aspx Happy workout! Here's a great video from the Association of Reflexologists explaining more about Reflexology. Enjoy! |
|